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The Galaxy A32 is the best and worst alternative to the Galaxy A31

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Last updated: March 2nd, 2021 at 19:01 UTC+01:00

The Galaxy A32 is an unusual smartphone on account of the fact that the LTE and 5G variants are very different. Galaxy A31 owners who might want to upgrade to the latest model will have to be very careful when choosing between the two, so today we'll pit the Galaxy A31 against the Galaxy A32 LTE and 5G variants to highlight their differences.

Galaxy A31 vs Galaxy A32 LTE: Significant upgrade with incredible display

The new Galaxy A32 LTE is equal to or better than the Galaxy A31 in virtually every aspect. For example, the camera setup is almost unchanged but it now boasts a higher-resolution 64MP main sensor.

Similarly, the size and resolution of the Super AMOLED display is the same as last year, but the new Galaxy A32 LTE boasts a 90Hz refresh rate instead of 60Hz. This is a significant upgrade that will redefine the user experience with smoother animations all throughout the UI.

Memory options remain similar but the Galaxy A32 LTE benefits from a newer, slightly more competent Helio G80 chipset, and it ships with Android 11-based One UI 3.1 out of the box.

Galaxy A31 vs Galaxy A32 5G: If you're not in it for 5G, skip this one

You'd think that the 5G variant is superior to the LTE model and that upgrading to the Galaxy A32 5G would be a safe bet, but that's very far from the truth. As unusual as this may sound, the Galaxy A32 5G is inferior to the A32 LTE model in more than one way, and it's not that much better than the Galaxy A31 either.

To begin with, the camera setup was downgraded with lower-resolution wide, depth, and selfie sensors compared to the Galaxy A31.

Then there's the display, which was relegated to TFT technology and a lower resolution of 1600 by 720 pixels. It doesn't support a high refresh rate, and it's a clear downgrade from the Galaxy A31's Super AMOLED panel.

Furthermore, the Galaxy A32 5G has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor instead of an under-display solution, which could be viewed as a plus, but the only clear advantages it has over the Galaxy A31 are 5G support and the Dimensity 720 5G chipset.

Galaxy A31 vs Galaxy A32 LTE / 5G: Conclusion

Barring 5G connectivity, there's no good reason for most Galaxy A31 owners to view the Galaxy A32 5G as an upgrade, unless they really want higher performance levels. But for many users, the more powerful chipset won't make up for the lower-resolution display and / or the poorer cameras.

The Galaxy A32 LTE, however, is a clear upgrade over the Galaxy A31, especially in terms of display. High refresh rates were initially reserved for the flagship segment but they're now reaching the budget market thanks to the Galaxy A32 LTE. The latter model also has a better camera and a more powerful SoC compared to the Galaxy A31.

You can refer to the comparison widget below for a closer look at the Galaxy A31, Galaxy A32 LTE, and Galaxy A32 5G side-by-side, and don't forget to stay tuned for our upcoming Galaxy A32 reviews.

Galaxy A31 review

Samsung
Galaxy A31

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Samsung
Galaxy A32

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General Information

  • Model Name

    Galaxy A31

    Galaxy A32

    Galaxy A32 5G

  • Model type

    Bar

    Bar

    Bar

  • Colors

    Blue (Prism Crush Blue)Black (Prism Crush Black)Red (Prism Crush Red)White (Prism Crush White)

    Black (Awesome Black)White (Awesome White)Blue (Awesome Blue)Violet (Awesome Violet)

    Black (Awesome Black)White (Awesome White)Blue (Awesome Blue)Violet (Awesome Violet)

  • Announced

    2020, March

    2021, January

    2021, January

  • Released

    2020, April

Physical specifications

  • Dimensions

    Bar: 159.3 x 73.1 x 8.6 mm

    Bar: 158.9 x 73.6 x 8.4 mm

    Bar: 164.2 x 76.1 x 9.1 mm

  • Weights

    185g

    184g

    205g

Operating system

  • Operating system

    Android 10

    Android 11

    Android 11

  • One UI version

    2.5

    3.1

    3.1

Networks

  • SIM

    Dual SIM model

    Dual SIM model

    Dual SIM model

  • SIM card sizes

    Nano-SIM (4FF)

    Nano-SIM (4FF)

    Nano-SIM (4FF)

  • Networks

    2G3G4G

    2G3G4G

    2G3G4G5G

  • eSIM support

    No

    No

    No

Display

  • Kind

    Main Display

  • Name

    Infinity-U Display

    Infinity-U Display

    Infinity-V Display

  • Technology

    Super AMOLED Display

    Super AMOLED Display

    IPS LCD

  • Size

    6.4 inch / 162.56 mm

    6.4 inch / 162.56 mm

    6.5 inch / 165.1 mm

  • Resolution

    FHD+ / 2400x1080 pixels

    FHD+ / x pixels

    HD+ / 1600x720 pixels

  • Pixel density

    411 PPI

    270 PPI

  • Screen to body ratio

    ~84.0%

    ~81.6%

  • Refresh rate

    90Hz


Phone Galaxy A31Galaxy A32Galaxy A32 5G
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